Basket-ball game apparatus



March 35 1926. P

-J. W. WEAVER BASKET B ALL AME APPARATUS Fiied August 8, 1925 3Sheets-Sheet l AJb/t/L W We]:

ATTORNEYS March 5N) T926. 1 579 17 J. w. WEAVER BASKET BALL GAMEAPPARATUS Filed August 8, 1925 S Sheets-Sheet 2 Mafch 3U 1926.

J. W. WEAVER BASKET BALL GAME APPARATUS Filed August 1925 3 Sheets-Sheets WITNESSES ZZZ ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 39, 1925,

warren stares JOHN W. WEAVER, or RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA.

BASKET-BALL GAME APPARATUS.

Application filed August 8, 1925. Serial No. 49,040.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN WV. l/VEAVER, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Raleigh, in the county of ake and State of NorthCarolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBasket-Ball Game Apparatus, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in basketball game apparatus, andit consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements hereindescribed and claimed.

An object of the invention is the provision of a game apparatus having,means whereby a game which closely resembles in all important phasesand aspects the usual game of basketball can be played. v

A furtherobject of the invention is to provide a game apparatus of thecharacter described having mechanical means operable to perform playsclosely resembling practically all the plays which will take placeduring the playing of the actual game of basketball, with results whichwill vary according to the skill of the operator in substantially thesame manner as the results of corresponding plays in the actual game ofbasketball will vary according to the skill of the performer of theplays.

it still further object of the invention is the provision of a gameapparatus of the character described which will be compact in form andmay be transported from place to place or stored readily withpractically all the parts of the apparatus assembled ready for theplaying of the game.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description, considered in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved gameapparatus with a portion of the cover of the case of the apparatusbroken away to disclose parts which are located within the case,

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the game apparatus with the cover orthe case omitted and with the remaining elements of the gameapparatusassembled ready for use,

Figure. 3 is a: plan view of the body of the case of the device with thegame board omitted to show the underlying operating mechanism. of thedevice,

Figure 4. is a relatively enlarged trans verse vertical section throughthe body of the apparatus, taken substantially along the line i-4 ofFigure 2,

Figure 5 is a still further enlarged fragmentary perspective viewshowing certain associated elements of the operating mechanism of thedevice.

In carrying out the invention, I provide a game board which comprises arelatively large central portion designated generally 1 and a continuousmarginal portion 2 which extends completely around the central portion'1. The game board may be made of any suitable material, such as a lightgauge metal, cardboard, fiber or the like. The marginal portion 2 slopesfrom its outer edge toward the central portion 1.

A case in which, the game board and associated elements may be housedcomprises a body consisting of a base 3 and pairs of upstanding sidewalls 4L and end walls 5 which are secured on the base 3 and to eachother in any suitable known manner so as to produce a box-like bodywhich is open at its upper end. The bottom 3 extends at the sides andends outwardly beyond the sides at and the ends 5 of the body of thecase, thus producing a' base flange, indicated at 3 on which the loweredges of the sides 6 and the ends 7 of a cover for the body of the caserest when the cover is in position on the body of the case as shown inFigure 1, the top or head 8 of the cover being supported on or close tothe upper edges of the sides' l and the ends 5 of the body of the case.The cover can be secured in position on the body of the case in anysuitable known manner, no means therefor being shown, so that the caseand the contents thereof can be readily transported from place to placeor stored and the contents of the case will be protected. The game boardfits in the body of the case. The central portion 1 of the game board issupported in a substantially horizontal plane within the body of thecase centrally of the body of the case and in spaced relation to thebase 3 by means of supporting blocks or standards 9 which are securedon'the base 3 and on which the cover section of the central portion ofthe game board rests. The marginal portion 1 of the game board overlapsthe central portion 1 of the ame board slightly and is supported in thebody of the case on horizontal cleats which are attached to the verticalwalls of the body or" the case and on the inclined upper faces 11 ofother supporting members 12 which are secured to the base 8 of the bodyof the case. The top surface of the game board constitutes the playingfield which may be divided by lines which are produced thereon asindicated at 13, 11, i5, 1G, 17 and 18 respectively, into sections inthe same manner as a field on which the actual game of basketball may beplayed is divided.

A tubular support 19 is secured on a bracket 20 on the base 3 andextends through a central opening 21 in the central portion 1 of thegame board above the level of the latter. The bore 22 of the tubularsupporting member 19 is enlarged at its upper end and is "fashioned toprovide concaved seat 23 which is adapted to receire a portion of a ball2i which is used in playing the game. A plunger rod 25 is movablevertically through an opening 26 in the supporting portion of thebracket 20 and through the bore 22 of the supporting member 19. Theplunger rod 25 may be moved vertically to the position shown in Figure-11- against the ball 21 to displace the latter from the upper end ofthe supporting member 19 so that the ball will fall by gravity onto theplaying field when it is desired to put the ball in play as will behereinafter pointed out. The lever 27 for operating the plunger rod 25is t'ulcrumed intermediate its length on a horizontal pivot element 28which is carried by a bracket 29 adapted to be secured on the base inthe space between the base and the game board. The lever 27 is pivotallyattached at its inner end, as at 30, to the lower end of the plunger rodand is of sufficient length to terminate at its outer end close to oneof the side walls 4- ot the body of the case, the outer end portion ofthe lever being inclined slightly in an u ward direction from the axisof the pivot 28 to the outer end of the lever as shown in Fig ure 4. Avertical push rod 31 depem s through a slot or aperture in the inclinedmarginal portion 2 of the game board and is Vertically slidable inaligned openings in vertically spaced arms 533 and 3st respective ly ota bracket 35 which is secured on the base 3. The push rod 81 rests atits lower end on the outer end portion of the lever 27. A lateral stopprojectionon the push rod 31 between the arms 33 and 31 of the bracketis adapted to engage with the upper arm to limit the upward movement ofthe push rod. The weight of the plunger rod 25 and the inner end portionof the lever 27 is greater than that of the outer end portion of thelever 27 and the push rod 31 so that the push rod normally will be heldby gravity at the upper limitof its possible movement, as shown in Fig.4. A knob 37 01' other han dlc may be placed on the upper eml oi thepush rod 3 so that it can be operated conveniently.

The central portion 1 ol the ame board is formed to produce relativelyraised transversely extending narrow portions or ridges ateach end ofthe central portion of the game board, as indicated at 18. The centralportion 1 ot the game board also is formed with a transversely extendingridge or narrow relatively raised portion 19 midway between the ridges3H and with two other transversely extending ridges 4-0, each of whichis located approximately midway between the middle ridge 39 and an end.ridge 38. The central portion 1 of the game board also is formed so thatthe portions of the playing field which are located between adjacenttransrersely extending ridges will be inclined downwardly or slopelongitudinally of the playing field from the respective adjacent ridgesto a line which extends transversely of the playing lield approvimatelymidway between said adjacent ridges. However, these general slopes or"the upper surface of the central portion 1 of the game board areinterrupted between adjacent transverse ridges by other relativelyraised portions or protuberances which will be hereinafter described.

The central portion 1 of the game board is formed with a pair ofopenings -11 which are located in the game board along the longitudinalmedian line thereof and respectively are located between the centralopening 21 and the respective transverse ridgm 40 at equal distancesfrom the central opening 21, each opening l1 being located ap'proximately midway between the middle ridge 39 and the adjacenttransverse ridge 410 at the juncture of the two slop between the middleridge 3t) and the adjacent transverse ridge 40.

The game board is tormcd with a pair o 1'' vertical openings 42 betweenthe middle ridge 39 and each ot' the adjacent transverse ridges it). therespective openings 42 of each pair being located adjacent to oppositeside edges of the central portion of the game board and equidistant fromthe longitudinal median line of the central portion of the game board,best seen in Figure 2. ln additioin the game board is formed with avertical opening at the intersection ot each of the ridges 40 with thelongitudinal median line of the central portion of the game board. Apair ot other vertical openings l-i is formed in the game board adjacentto each. of the opposite ends of the entral portion of the game boardthe respective openings at of each pair being lm-atcd adjacent to thecorners at one end of the cent al portion of the game board eouilistantfrom the longitudinal median line ot' the central portion of thegameboard. The

openings; 41,. e2, 43 and a l are shown as be substantially rectangular.Longitudinal ridges 45 are provided on the central portion of the gameboard to extend along the longitudinal median line of the centralportion of he game board from the openings 43 to the adjacent ends ofthe central portion of the game board and the playing field has slopesextending oppositely from each of these ridges toward the adjacentopenings 44%.. The game board also is formed with: protuberances asindicated at i6, each of which is located between an: opening ll and theadjacent opening 42. The central portion of the game-board has thelongitudinal edges thereof raised slightly above the level of theadjacent openings 42 and it as indicated at 47. It therefore will beobvious that the playing field has slopes inclined upwardly in alldirections from each of the openings 41, 42, and A and: that a ballwhich falls on the playing held: at any point will roll into one ofthese openings.

The game board carries a pair of back stops 48'., each of which is shownas being a plate having a horizontal shoulder 49 on its outer face ata'distance from the lower end of the plate approximately equal to theheight of. the end walls 5 above the adjacent ends of the inclinedmarginal portion of the game board. Each plate 48 is placed in theposition shown in Figure 2 with the shoulder tQ-restin-g on the upperedge of one of the end walls 5 and with the lower edge of the plateresting upon the adjacent end portion of the game. board and beingretained against accidental displacement by means of a pair of springclamping fingers 50 which are secured at t eir lower ends to the adacent end wall 5, as by means of screws 51, and whlch extend through acutout or slot 52. in the adjacent edge of the game board to positionabove the game board to clamp the lower end portlon of the adjacent backstop against the upper end portion of the adjacent end wall of the caseof the device. A basket or objective 53 which preferably is formed inthe siinilitude of a basket such as used in playing the actual game ofbasket ball, is supported on the inner face of each of the back stops48, as by means of a bracket 54. The back stops 48 are arranged on thegame board and the baskets 53 are supported on the back stops in suchpositions that the center of each basket will lie directly above the,longitudinal median line of the game board.

As previously stated. each of the openings 171 Q2, 43 and at issubstantially rectangular, and these openings are formed in the gameboard so that the longitudinal axis of the game board will pass directlythrough the centers of the respective openings ll and 43 and parallel tothe major axes of theopenings The openings 42' have the major axesthereof oblique to the longitudinal axis of the game board and the majoraxes of the two openings l2 which are located at each side of thetransverse media-n line oi the game board he in vertical planes which,if extended, will intersect along a line eatcnding vertically throughthe center of the adjacent basket or objective 58.

A rest block 55- is associated with each of the openings 41. A restblock 56 is associated wi h each of the openings e21 A r st block 5'? isassociated with each. of the openings it and a rest block 58 isassociated with each of the openings 4-3. Each of these rest blocks isadjustably supported on the bottom 3 of the case of the device by meansof a bracket 59 having an attaching arm 60 at its lower end formed withapertures for the reception ct screws for attaching the bracket to the;bottom 3 and having a screw threaded red like upstanding arm 62-whichextends through an opening in an attaching ear or lug 63 t rat iscarriedby the associated rest block, the portion 62 of the bracket beingadj-ustably engaged above the car 63- by a nut 6d and ad-justablyengaged also below the ear 63 by a nut 65-. lhese nuts can be adjustedon the bracket arm 62 to support the associated rest block in any one ofa plurality of vertically adjusted positions.

Each rest block 55 is supported on the bottom of the case directlybeneath one of the openings ii, and is formed with an inclined run-way66 in the portion thereof which is located directly beneath theassociated opening 4-.1. Each run-way 66 is arcuate in cross section sothat a ball will roll freely therealong. The run-way in each rest blockis inclined toward its upper end in the direction of the remote basketor objective 53. Each rest block 56 like w se is formed with an inclinedchannel run-way 6 7 in the portion thereof which is directly beneath theassociated opening 42. Each run-way 67 is inclined toward its upper endin the direction ofthe proximate basket 53. Each :rest block 57 has aninclined channel runway 68 in the portion thereof which is directlyunderneath the 'associated opening 44, and each channel runway 68inclined toward its upper end in a direction which extends substantiallyparallel to the direction of length of the central portion of the gameboard. Each rest block protrudes from the associated opening 43 abovethe level of the game board, and .1, formed with an inclined channelrun-way in the portion thereof which is opposite to the adjacent basket53, such channel runway being inclined toward its upper end in thedirection of the adjacent basket 53.

Movement of ball by gravity along the run-way of each of the rest blocksfrom the upper end of that run-way toward the bot tom 3 or" the case islimited by a pivoted throw-plate or flipper '50, one of which o." therun-way as about the 213115 ot .ts he t one ot the re a, I show 1s havina pair of 1 recured in the janitorial or' ich the do s enter end termed'ied openings through w rich :1 ne i l F-zuppoiting rod 73 ere l "heends of the supporting rod then la n tori rd inward inlicated at Tel,and c l I "cool .Cll ot the at o i.i v le pivotally in the row plate Isupported shown in that iig'urc. provides manually operahle ting thethrow plates sceach throw plate so actuhall which is resting theassociated rnn JOYQ the playing field all varyiag l)Oi'l1 ac- 1'; rlocat on of the rest :h the hall was 'o 'ected manner in which the alatewas actuated. The 1 r for the respective 1M0 tor each tln'ow plate altho51h indirit ual cleing mechanism units for :w plates may vary slightlyrar thereof or other imn ateriat its an: :ern I therefore shall lconfine my mechanism (that wh ha deei oeecripticn to the operating otthe throw plates. rated in Fignre 5.) and orrc nondingl' elements of theact'n. 2 a s for t 1e respective hrow platen hy the same referencecharac'er a atmr; mechanism which 18 Sl\ n we 5 includes an operatingrod le portion slidahly and roin horizontally almed as indicated a a -(laS indicated at t tl e case the devic 1e ll of the operating rod rate alateralh turned guide poreate in an associated cam n as being disposedas having an attaclr Y edge-wise ant ing portion 81 secured by a screw82 to the bottom 3 of the case of the device, and as c ral with thebracket T6, although The guiding portion TS operating rod is merged intoa striker 1 rich cxtends sulistantially parthe handle portion of theoperating formed at its extremity with a 1 which hears against thenndei'tace ociated throw plate. The guiding ning; slot T comprises tvovertic-ally spaced end portions connected h an inclined portion thehigher of the two end portions of the guiding and retaining Slot lacingncarcet to the {lrjSOLltllQ-Ll throw plate. A sprin arm 96 is attachedat one end as at 87 to the operating rod at the juncture of handleportion and thc guide portion of the operating rod and it supported atits o 101' end in a vertical slot in the upper eid portion of a post Sf)"ecnrcd on the hottom 23 of the ca;-.e

1e Spring arm 86 acts conthe guide portion T8 of to position at the endof M V inin slotv which nearest to the a sociated throw plate.

Each of the remaining throw plates has an operatin mechanism practicallyidential in eseendal respects with that just dcscribed and the handleportion of the operating rod of the actuating mcchaninm for each of thethrow plates extends tnrough an opening; in an end wall of the l ody ofthe case. The cover of the case may have notches in its edge, asindicated at on for the reception. of the outer end portionn oi" theopera-til handles of the throw plate actuating mechanisms when the coverin position on the hotly of the case as shown in Figure 1.

From the foregoing description ct the various part? of the device. theoperation thereof may he readily understood. The opei'iing's l1 arelocated in t e game hoard in substantially t positions which the cointmnousl to the crating:

the

ters of two opposing teams occupy at the l: inning ot play in the actualgame of 4-2 at one side of of the game hoard of the game hoardrespectively occupy the positione which the right and left forwards ot'the opposing teann aesume in the playing of the actual game of haslzct.hall. The oper ngs ll which are adjacent to one end of the centralportion of th game hoard are ocated in the powrtione which the right nidlet't guards 01 one liasltet. hall team assume on a playing held at thebeginning of llU the actual game of basketball and the openings 4a whichare adjacent to the opposite end of the central portionot the playingfield are located in the positions of the right and left guards oftheopposing team. The openings 13 are in the positions which playerstake in the actual game of basketball in trying to throw the basketballinto the adjacent basket by means oi, a free throw.

The rest blocks associated with the open-- in 's 42, H and 48 whichrespectively represent the right and left forwards, the right and leftguards, and a player having a free throw, all of one team, are coloredto distinguish such rest blocks from the remaining rest blocks which ofcourse represent corresponding posit-ions o fyplayers on the opposingteam. The operating handles of the actuating mechanisms tor the throwplates which are associated with rest blocks representing the positionsof players of one of two opposing basket ball teams and a player who hasa free throw at the adjacent basket, extendthrough openings in one ofthe end walls at of the body of the case while the operating handles ofthe actuating mechanisms for the throw plates which are as sociated withthe rest blocks representing the corresponding positions of players onthe opposing team, and a player on the opposing team who is entitled toa free throw for the adjacent basket, extend through openings in theopposite end wall of the body of thecase. The rules for the playing ofthe game with the use of the improved apparatus of course may vary byagreement between the persons playing, but preferably conformsubstantially to the rules which are used in connection with the actualgame of basket ball. The game" may be played by two persons or by two ormore groups of persons. The opposing players having taken theirpositions at opposite ends of the body of thec'ase and the cover of thecase of course having been removed, the ball 24 is placed in position inthe seat 23 at the upper end of the tubular support 19. The refereeor'any other person forces the rod 31 downwardly sharply as by strikingthe knob or handle 37, thus causing motion to, be transmitted throughthe lever 27 to the plunger rod 25 which is projected quickly upwardthrough the tubular support- 19, thus ejecting the ball 24 from the seat23 and causing the ball to rise a slight distance in the air and then tofall onto the playing field, thus representing the toss-up of abasketball by the referee between the two centers of the opposing teamsin the actual game of basketball. The ball will roll by gravity on theplaying field into one of the openings 42, 41 or .44. The player or teamrepresented by the throw platewhich is associated with the particularopening 1nto which the ball rolls is entitled to operate the actuatingmechanism tor that throw plate to cause the ball to be flipped or prorest "block which is associated with one of the openings 4-1, whichpositions are those of the guards of the opposing basketball teams, theoperating handle of the actuatin mechanism for the throw plate which isassociated with that rest bloc-k, cannot be actuated to project the ballinto the basket of the opposing team direct, but can be actuated tocause the ball to roll into the run way of a rest block with which athrow plate representing a forward or the center of the same team isassociated, and the ball then can be projected by reason of actuation ofthe last named throw plate into the basket of the opposing team. It thuswill be ap parent that the game apparatus afi ords tacilities forplaying a game, which in practically all aspects and phases closelyresembles the actual game of basketball and that the results of theindividual plays and the final result of the game which is played bymeans of the apparatus, will be determined accord ing to the skill ofthe respective players. The rules which are adopted for the playing ofthe game may require actuation of the actuating mechanism for each throwplate within a certain time after the ball has rolled into the run-wayof the rest block with which that throw plate is associated. Other rulesmay be provided, as desired' In the event that such rules are notfollowed by the player ofa team, the opposing player or team may beentitled to a free throw at the basket of the opposing player or team asis the case when a foul has been committed in the playing ofthe ac tualgame of basketball. In that event the ball is placed by the referee inthe run-way 69 of the rest block 58 which is proximate to the basket ofthe player or team by whom the foul was committed, and the opposingplayer is entitled to actuate the throw plate associated with thatparticular rest block 58 in an endeavorto project the ball into thebasket of the playeror team by wi'om the foul is committed. A guard railor bar such as indicated at 91 may be associated with the upper endportion of each of the rest blocks 58 to prevent the ball from beingdisplaced accidentally from position in the runway 69 of that restblock.

Obviously, the invention is susceptible of embodiment in forms otherthan that which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and Itherefore consider as my own all such modifications and adaptationsthereof as fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim 1. In a game apparatus, a game board having an opening andformed with the upper surface thereof sloping toward said opening, arest block associated with said opening and'having a run-way for thereception of a ball entering said opening, and means carried by saidrest block adapted to be actuated to project said ball from said run-wayinto the space above the game board.

2. In a game apparatus, a game board having openings correspondingsubstantially in position to the positions of the players of twoopposing teams when playing the actual game of basketball, said gameboard having the upper surface thereof formed to slope toward saidopenings from all sides of said openings, baskets supported at oppositeends of the game board, and means associated vith the respectiveopenings operable selectively to project a ball from said 1 openingsabove said game board, and toward one of said baskets.

In a game apparatus of the character described, a game board having acontinuous marginal portion and a relatively large central portion, saidmarginal portion being inclined downwardly from its outer edge, saidcentral portion having a ridge on its upper face extending transverselyof said central portion of the game board intermediate the length of thelatter, said central portion having transverse ridges at the oppositeends thereof and at the sides thereof and having transverse ridgesintermediate said middle transverse ridge and said end transverseridges, series of openings in said game board between said middletransverse ridge and the adjacent transverse ridges, other series ofopenings in said game board between said end transverse ridges and theadjacent transverse ridges, baskets supported at opposite ends of saidgame board above the level of the game board, and means associated withthe respective openings for projecting a ball from any one of saidopenings into the space above the game board and in the direction of oneof said baskets.

4. In a game apparatus, a game board having openings corresponding inlocation substantially to the positions of rest of the respectiveplayers of two opposing teams in the actual game of basketball, saidgame board being formed to slope upwardly in all directions from theedge of each of said openings, a basket at each of the opposite ends ofsaid game board, and means associated with each of said openings forprojecting a ball from that opening into the space above said gameboard.

5. In a game apparatus, a game board having openings corresponding inlocation substantially to the positions of rest of the respectiveplayers of two opposing teams in the actual game of basketball, saidgame board being formed to slope upwardly in all directions from theedge of each of said openings, a basket at each of the opposite ends ofsaid gameboard, means associated with each of said openings forprojecting a. ball from that opening into the space above said gameboard. and means located at the center of said game board for supper inga ball, said ball supporting means being operable to project said ballinto the air above said game board.

6. In a game apparatus of the character described, a game board havingacentral opening, a tubular supporting member extending through saidcentral opening above the level of the game board, said tubularsupporting member being enlarged at its upper end internally and formedto partiallyreceive a ball, aplunger reciprocable in the bore of saidtubular member, a lever 'l'ulcrumed intermediate its length for movementabout a horizontal axis, said lever being pivotally attached at one endto the lower end of said plunger, and a vertically shiftable actuatingrod extending above said game board and resting at its lower end on thefree end of said lever, as and for the purpose described.

7. In a game apparatus of the character described, a game board havingopenings located in positions corresponding substantially to thepositions of the forwards, centers, and guards of two opposing teamsengaged in the actual game of basketball, baskets supported at oppositeends of the game board, means associated with the openings whichrepresent the centers and forwards of the opposing teams for projectinga hall from said openings into a basket, and other means associated withthe openings which represent the guards for projecting a ball therefromin the direction of the openings which represent the associatedforwards.

S. In a game apparatus of the character described, a game board, meansat the opposite ends of said game boards for supporting baskets abovethe game board, said gameboard having openings adjacent to each of itsopposite ends and directly in front of the adjacent basket, a rest blockfor each of said openings, said rest block extending through theassociated opening above the level of the game board, said rest blockhaw ing an inclined run-away in the side thereof which is remote fromthe adjacent basket. said runway being inclined toward its upper end inthe direction of the adjacent basket, a pivoted throw plate extendinginto said run-way below the level of said opening and operable toproject a ball from said run-way into the adjacent basket. I

9. In a game apparatus of the character described, a game board, meansat the opposite ends of said game board for supporting baskets above thegame board, said game board having openings adjacent to each ofitsopposite ends and directly in front of the adjacent basket, a restblock for each of said openings, said rest block extending through theassociated opening above the level of the game board, said rest blockhaving an inclined run-way in the side thereof which is remote from theadj acent basket, said run-way being inclined toward its upperv end inthe direction ot the adjacent basket, a pivoted throw plate extendinginto said run-way below the level of said opening and operable toproject a ball-from said run-way into the adjacent basket, and a guardbar at the edge of the run-way above the level of said game board forpreventing accidental displacement of the ball from the associatedrun-way.

10. In a game apparatus, a game board having an opening, a rest blockadjustably supported adjacent to said opening, said rest block having arunway formed therein substantially in line with a portion of saidopening, a throw plate supported to swing about a horizontal axis, aportion of said throw plate extending into the lower part of saidrun-way and adapted to support a ball in said runway, and means foractuating said throw plate to project said ball from said run-way andthrough the opening in said game board.

11. In a game apparatus of the character described, a rest block havingan inclined channel runway, means for supporting said block foradjustment vertically, a throwplate pivotaly supported at the edge ofthe lower part of said run-way and having a portion extending into saidrun-way and adapted to cooperate with the run-way to support a balltherein, and spring impelled means in contact with the lower face of theswingable portion of said throw plate and adapted to be actuated at willto swing said throw plate upward, whereby the ball in said run-way willbe projected from said run-way. V

12. In a game apparatus of the character described, a rest block havingan inclined channel run-way, means for supporting said block foradjustment vertically, a throw plate pivotally supported at the end 01the lower part of said run-way and having a portion extending into saidrun-way and adapted to cooperate with the run-way to support a balltherein, spring impelled means in contact with the lower face of theswingahle portion of said throw plate and adapted to be actuated at willto swing said throw plate upward, whereby the ball in said runway willbe projected from said runway, and a cam for guiding said springimpelled means in contact with said throw member, and in response to theactuation of the spring.

13. In a game apparatus of the character described, a rest block havingan inclined channel runway, means for supporting said block foradjustment vertically, athrow plate pivotally supported at the end ofthe lower part of said run-way and having av portion extending into saidrun-way and adapted to cooperate with the run-way to support a balltherein, a cam plate supported below the level of said throw plate andhaving a cam extending substantially at right angles to theaxisot'swinging movement of said throw, plate, an axially movable operating rodhaving laterally turned portion extending through said cam slot andformed with a. striker head in contact continuously with the undert'aceof said throw plate, and a spring attached to said operatin rod andadapted to be energized when said operating rod is pulled in thedirection opposite to said throw plate to cause said striker head torebound forcibly when said operating rod is released, whereby said throwplate will be swung upward in response to the actuation of said spring,and said ball will be projected from saic run-way.

14. In a game apparatus of the character described, a rest block havingan inclined runway, a bracket attached to a fixed support and having anupwardly extending arm, an attaching ear secured to said rest block andhaving an opening through which said upwardly extending arm of thebracket loosely extends, and clamping means adjustably engageable withsaid upwardly extending arm of the bracket for releasably holding saidrest block in adjusted position on said upwardly extending arm, and apivoted throw plate carried by said rest block, said throw plate havinga portion swingable in 'the runway to project a ball or the lik from therun-way.

15. In a game apparatus, a game board having a series of openings,pivoted throw plates associated with said openings and each operable toproject a ball through the associated opening into the space above saidgame board, and a unitary actuating mechanism for each of said throwplates, each of said actuating mechanisms including an operating rod,certain of said opera-ting rods extending beyond one end of said gameboard and the remaining operating rods extending beyond the oppositeends of the game boards.

16. A game apparatus of the character described, comprising a case, saidcase having a body portion comprising a base and upstandingside and endwalls, a game board fitting in said body of the case above the level ot'the bottom of the body of the case, oack stops removably supported onthe end walls of said body of the case, baskets carried by said backstops, pivoted each operable to project a ball from said game board intothe space above said game board, certain of said throw plates beingoperable to project the ball into one of said baskets, and the remainingthr n plates being operable to project the ball toward one of said firstthrow plates, and means extending beyond the opposite ends or the bodyof said case for o E i-Tilting said throw plates selectively. V 7

17, A. game apparatus of the character described, comprising a case,said case having a body portion con'iprising' a base and upstanding sideand end vi lls, a game biard fitting in said body of the case above thelevel of the bottom of the b dy otrthe case, back stops removablysupported on the end walls of said body of the case, liiaskets car-'ried by said back stops, pivoted throw plates each operable to projecta ball from said game board into the space above said game board,certain of said throw plates being ope 'able;to project the ball intoone of said baskets, and the remaining throw plates being operable toproject the ball tothrow plates W vard'one ot said first throw plates,means extending beyond the opposite ends of the body of said case foroperating said throw plates selectively, and a cover for said body ofthe case. 7

18. u a game apparatus of the character descrn d, a case including abody having a pair ot spaced TQI'tlCitlXVilllS, a pair of spring lingersextendingclose to the inner face of each of said *ertical walls, a backstop for each (i said vertical walls, each back amp havin a shoulderadapted to rest on the upper edge of the associated v :rtical wall andhaving the lower end portion pted to tit snugly between the adjacentspring lingers and said vertical wall.

In a game apparatus of the character described, a case including a bodyhaving a pair of spaced vertical walls. a pair of spring lingersextending close to the inner face ot o said vertical walls. a backstoptor said vertical walls, each back stop a shoulder adapted to reston the uper edge of the associated vertical wall and be lower endportion adapted to tit setween theadjacent spr' lingers ano 3 verticalwall, and a basket supported on the inner tace of each of said backstops. 1

HN w WEAVER.

